SHC CJ Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi says nobody pressurised him about any case

 KARACHI, June 15 (SABAH): Commenting on alleged “interference and pressure” on the judiciary, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi on Saturday “categorically” stated that nobody pressurised him about any case.

“Some attempts were made, but, by the grace of God, no one coerced me,” said the SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi while talking to the media in Karachi. He said this in response to a question posed by a journalist to him.

The chief justice’s comments came after six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges in the recent past wrote a letter to the Supreme Court on March 25, accusing spy agencies of meddling in judicial affairs.

The IHC judges had demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to convene the judicial convention to consider the matter of alleged interference of intelligence operatives in the judicial functions or “intimidation” of judges in a manner that undermined the independence of the judiciary.

However, Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi clarified that a couple of times such efforts were made which were right away dispelled and later they turned out to be a misunderstanding. He said no attempt had been made to pressurise the Sindh’s judiciary in any case.

He said the judiciary’s independence was reflected through its judgments. He believed that a judge could not be dishonest or corrupt, he said.

The SHC CJ said the transfer of the election tribunal’s judge was a normal procedure. The system of judges’ transfer was extremely complex, he said.